🔥 No Longer Under the Spell

Like burning what no longer belongs, the life of Christ in us calls us to let go of what once held us—and never look back.

Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More
Photo Credit: Unsplash

In Acts 19, we witness a remarkable moment in Ephesus where believers, newly awakened by the gospel, came clean about their lingering practices—superstitions, occultism, and magical arts they had once accepted as normal. These weren’t pagans from outside the faith—they were followers of Christ who had unknowingly carried the baggage of spiritual bondage into their new life. But as they sat under the Spirit-filled teaching of Paul and witnessed the liberating reality of the kingdom, they saw clearly that light and darkness could not coexist.

This inner housecleaning of the church sparked an even greater wave. Those outside the faith saw the radical change within the believers and were stirred to reconsider their own darkness. They too began burning their occult books—valuables that once shaped their identity and income—recognizing that Christ had something better. When the church lives honestly before God, the world takes notice. When believers walk in truth, unbelievers begin to question their lies.

The cost of their surrender was great—fifty thousand pieces of silver—but the worth of their freedom was far greater. The result? The Word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. Real gospel transformation isn’t only personal—it’s contagious. It spreads from house to house, heart to heart, even city to city, when Christ’s people live transparently and walk as children of light.

That’s how spiritual strongholds collapse—not by culture wars or policy battles, but by a church ablaze with truth, humility, and the Spirit’s power. The battle is not against flesh and blood, and neither is the victory. It’s Christ in us, revealed without compromise.

📓 Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

My child, you are not under the shadows you once walked in. You are light in Me. Those hidden places of your heart that still cling to old ways—bring them fully into My presence. I do not condemn you; I free you. You were not made for confusion, superstition, or secret fears. You were made for communion—Me in you, and you in Me.

I will never coexist with anything that enslaves you. My truth casts out falsehood; My Spirit displaces fear; My presence brings clarity. Let no practice, habit, or idea remain if it cannot stand beside Me. What others call harmless, you will see for what it is when your heart is fixed on Me.

Your willingness to part with what once defined you becomes the spark for someone else's freedom. As you walk in transparency, I will work through you to awaken others. And you will see My Word flourish not only in you, but around you. This is how strongholds fall—when you abide, and I prevail.

Scripture References: Acts 19:18–20; Ephesians 5:8–13; John 8:31–36; 2 Corinthians 10:3–5; Colossians 3:1–4; Romans 6:6–14; Galatians 2:20; 1 John 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:5–6

🪞Real-Life Analogy

It’s like cleaning out an old drawer in your home. You may think it just holds spare buttons and receipts, but once you begin sorting, you find things you didn’t realize were still there—expired medications, dangerous tools, or things you thought you’d already thrown away. The process is inconvenient, sometimes emotional, but it clears space for what’s actually useful, healthy, and good.

In the same way, as you quietly invite the Holy Spirit to examine the overlooked areas of your life, He gently reveals what doesn’t belong anymore. Today, if a podcast, a practice, a routine—even something “normal” to others—no longer fits with the life of Christ in you, yield. Trust the Spirit to live through you in that moment of surrender. Whether it's deleting an app, tossing an old book, or walking away from a conversation, you can say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me right now—clearly, freely, without compromise.”

🙏 Prayer of Confidence

Father, thank You for showing me that I no longer have to carry anything from the old life—no shadows, no lies, no residue of bondage. I rest in the full freedom You’ve already given in Christ. I trust the indwelling Spirit to reveal anything unworthy of Your presence and to express Your life through me today with purity and boldness. I rejoice that You have made me light in the Lord—and the darkness has no hold on me.